26 Feb 2019

About  a dozen pigs have died of rabies in Kumakwane while 140 are at risk of the infectious disease.

This was said by Mogoditshane/Thamaga Sub-council chairperson, Mr Ofentse Mafoko at the opening of the sub-council session recently after the Department of Veterinary Services confirmed a clinical case of rabies in pigs in one of the farms in Kumakwane.  He said the pigs were suspected to have contracted the disease after they were bitten by a stray dog. 

Mr Mafoko, however, said the remaining pigs were vaccinated for  rabies while farm workers were given anti-rabies medication for exposure to the disease since it was highly infectious and zoonotic). He, nevertheless, assured the public that the department was doing its best to ensure that the whole village was covered. On other issues, the sub-council chairperson expressed concern over staff movements of key personnel, saying that they stifled council projects.

He added that projects that needed drawings and payments had literally come to a standstill.  Among the top posts in question, he cited the head of architecture and buildings as well as LAPAD secretary who had gone for further training.

He also noted that the acting head of human resources was transferred as well as the head of physical planning, housing and estate management, who is also leaving the sub-council.

Meanwhile, Mr Mafoko announced that the three slaughter slabs in Thamaga, Kumakwane and Mmopane, which were temporarily closed at the beginning of the year due to non-payment of the slaughter levy, were now operational except the one in Mmopane which was still undergoing refurbishment. ENDS